Method and apparatus for making sheet glass



Sept. 14 ,y 1926.

H. F. CLARK METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING; SHEET GLASS Filed July 22',T924 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENToR @gaa/A]- Sept. 14., 1926..

H. F. CLA-RK METHOD AND-APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEET GLASS 192.4, 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 22,

IVENTOR Sept. 14 1926. H. F. CLARK METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAK-INGSHEET GLASS Filed July 22 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet .f

NVENTOR Sept. 14 1926.

H. F. CLARK METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEET GLASS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed July 22, 1924 T llfllllHnx.

sept. 14 1926. 1,599,647

H. F. CLARK METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEEIIl GLASS Filed July 22,1924 5 sheets-sheet 5 fg, 7.A li

Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

tltti'i'fii) STATES entrar orties.

HENRY F. CLARK, OIE' VERNON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR VI WINDOV' GLASSJERSEY.

Mn'riron and) .aPrAitA'rUs PENITSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION' OF I\TE`\.`K7'`FOR MAKING- SI-IEET GLASS.

Application filed July 22,1924. SerialNo. 727,442.

Various methods and apparatus for ad-l vancing and stretching the glasssheet have been proposed, but are opento objections, such as injuringthequality of the glass by marking it where it comes in contact with theapparatus. The apparatus employed has also been complicated, expensiveand liable to get'out of order.

Inniy improved system, I provide for advancing `the glass sheet bysuccessively engaging different strip portions of the sheet, such stripportions extending substantlally longitudinally of the sheet. Theapparatus preferably comprises a plurality of longitudinally extendingbars which are moved into engagement with the glass sheet to carry itforwardly, and are then moved out of contact with the sheet and carriedback- F wardly. A plurality of sets of bars are provided so that thesheet is always engaged by at least one set of contact bars, and 1stherefore advanced smoothly and regularly. The apparatus is simple andsubstantial and isv effective for advancing and stretch-.

ing the glass sheet after it passes over the bending roll.

lf desired, the bending roll may be driven at the same peripheral speed'as the linear speed of the glass, in order to reduce bending'rollmarlrs on the product. The entire apparatus is preferably drivenfrom asingle power source so that the proper timing of the various partsis assured.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the present preferredembodiment of the invention,-

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal. section through a forehearth andconnected leer tunnel embodying` my invention;

Figures 2 to 5, inclusive, are diagramn matic views illustrative of theinvention;

Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal section through a portion of theleer tunnel leading to the left of the apparatus asshown in Figure 1;

Figure 't' is a section on the line VII-VII of Figure 6;

Figure 8 isa side elevationof aportion f ofthe apparatus shown in Figure7;

Figure 9 is a section on the line X-IX of Figure 6, and i Figure 10 is`a ldiagrammatic View of the cam shaft and cams used for driving thevarious parts of the apparatus.l i I Referring toFigure. 1, 2 is adrawing forehearth supplied with molten glass from-a tank furnace 3. Theforehearth is heated 1 from the furnace 3 and also by a heating flue 1adapted to direct heat onto the glass in the forehearth remote from thefurnace.

Coolers 5 are shown for suitably regulating the temperature of theglass'adjacent the drawing zone. A bending roll 6 and edge rolls`7 ofany desired construction are 'also provided. This apparatus may be ofany desired character, as the invention lies particularly in the meansfor advancing the glass sheet. f

The bending roll 6 servesto change the direction of travel of a kglasssheet drawn from the forehearth 2, the sheet, after it passes over thebending roll, being carried in a generally horizontal direction into aleer tunnel 8 ot' sufficient length to suitably anneal the glass.

In the leer tunnel 8 I provide a plurality of contact bars secured bycross members 9 into a plurality of sets 10 and 11, the bars of" whichalternatey across the width. of the leer tunnel. The Contact bars 10 aremountd on rollers 12 which in turn are supported 57 zentral shafts 14.The shafts 14 are connect'ed together by a linkage 15, so that they movesimultaneously, and one of them is provided with an arm 16 having aroller 17 by a linl;` 23, and transmits the movement 1 of the cam tothecontact bars.

As shown in Figure 10 the cams 1S and 20 are fixed in such relation onthe shaft 19V that movement of the Contact bars 7 to the left, as viewedin Figure 1, occurs when the bars are in` their upper position, and incontact with the lower face of glass sheet. The design of the cani 2O issuch that while the bars are, in Contact with the glass, the forwardmotion ofthe glass is at uniform velocity. rlhe design ofthe cam 2O isalso such that the forward motion occupies more than 18() degrees ofrevolution of the shaft 19, the remaining portion of the camconstituting a quick return motion for the bars.

The Contact bars 1l are similarly mounted on. rollers 24 carried byyarms 25 mounted on shafts 26 and; connected by linkage 27. A lever 28provided,y with a follower roll 29 makes operative engagement withA thecani 18,4 and as shown in Figures 2 to 5, the i1elative position of thetwo follower rolls 17 and 29 is such` that when one of the sets ofcontact bars is being raised or lowered, the other is effective forsupporting the glass sheet.

rllhecontact bans 11; are. i'eciprocated by a cam` 30 operating throughmechanism similar-tdthnt employed for, the contact bars 10, and this:cam. is also designed toy provide a uniform velocity of the bars whenthey are inf contact withA the glassA and. a quick return.

when` they aneo-ut` of contact with theY glass.

Figures2-to 5 show. inl diagrammatic form the relative POSit-ions of thevarious portions of the. apparatus at different times duiing a singlerevolution of the shaft 159; EX-

amination of these figures will show that the glass sheet remainsatthesame height' at all times, the bars moving upwardly to. make contactwith it, and' carrying it at uniform speed.

time, as is necessary, of course, in; order to effect; the changeofsupport from one set to the other without gar. The bars. arepreferably spaced` from the bending roll 6 inl order to allowforstretching the glass sheet and` removing the wrinkles therefrom. lfdesired, a cha-in drive 31 mayv bey provided;

for driving the bending, roll, from the shaft 19.

'ilhe shaft 19 is driven from a motor 32y by; worin gearing, not shown,between the mot-oi; and an intermediate shaft 33 which is in turnconnected to the shaft 19 through.

suitable reductionA gearsk 34.

The contact bars may be conveniently made of metal; T-bars, as shown, inFiguresy 7 and,9, and they preferably are of as` large area as possiblein order toreduce the possibility ofl marking the glass as.y it travelsAt certain periods, both sets of bars. are inl Contact with the sheet atthe same.

bars need not extend the entire length of the leer, and preferablyextend only a part of its length. After the glass leaves the bars, itmay be supported by rollersl 35 'driven in any desired manner.

In order to secure the desiredl flattening action of the apparatus, itis desirable to provide edge clamping means. I preferably employsprocket chains 36 having contact feet 37 for cooperating with thetraveling bars and exerting a clamping action on the sheet edges. Thesprocket chains are preferably driven at the saine speed as the glass,as by a drive chain 58l and gears 39.

Reference to Figure 7 will show that the Contact feet 3.7v are adaptedto cooperate with the outer bars of either set; of traveling ba-rs, sothe sheet edges will be clampedr at alltimes.

It will be seen that I provide a` simple and effective means foradvancing and stretching the glassfsheet. lVhile the inven.- tiony isparticularly desirable in connection-I with, a bending roll system, itis not limitedl thereto, asit may bereadily applied toother forms of'glass drawing apparatus, for while I have shown. the preferredembodiment of the invention, it is not limited thereto,`but may beotherwise applied within the scopeL of the following claims.

1' claim:

l.. Apparatus for making. sheet glass, in,-

cluding. a tunnel through which. drawn glass is adapted: totrazvel, aplurality of; bars enk tending along the. direction of travel of theglass, and means for imparting. to, spaced;

points on thebars similar orbital movements; whereby the barsare attimes in contact and are. moving with the glassl and at; other timesarer out of contact; withthe glass` and moving in` an oppositeydirection, certain ofi said bars: being outof time withy other of,r`said? bars, the mechanism being arranged to.

maintain the glass in substantially` one planeduring: its. movementalong the bars.

2; Apparatus for making; sheet glass, i-ncluding a. bath of molten2glass., means for drawing a sheet of: glass therefrom includ;- ingbending means adapted. to` deiiect the sheet into a horizontallyextending.l direction, a plurality of bars extending; along thedirection of travel. of, the glass after it leaves; the defiectingmeans, and means fory imparting to spaced point-s on thefbars similarorbital movementswhereby the-bars are at times in contact andareino'ving with the glass and at other times are out of contactN withthe glass and moving in, an opposite direction, the mechanism beingJarranged to. maintain the glass in substantiallyfoneplane during itsmovement? aloing the bars.

3. Apparatus for inalingsheet glass, including a system for generating avertically: extending sheet of glass, means. for deflecting the sheetinto a horizontal direction, ay

Gli

plurality of bars extending along the direction ol' travel ot the glass,means for reciprocating the bars, and means for moving the bars into andout of engaging Contact with the glass, the mechanism heilig arranged tomaintain the glass in substantially one plane during its movement alongthe bars.

il. Apparatus for making sheet glass, inclu ding a system for generatinga vertically extending sheet of glass, means for deflecting the sheetinto a horizontal direction, a plurality ol' bars extending along thedirection oit travel of the glass, means for reciprocating the bars, andmeans for moving the bars into and out of engaging contact with theglass, certain of said bars being out el time with other of said bars,the mechanism being arranged to maintain the glass in substantially oneplane during its movement along the bars.

5. Apparatus for making sheet glass, including glass drawing means, tWosets ol' bars extending in the direction of travel of the means forreciprocating each set of bars, and means for moving each set of barsinto or out of engagement with the glass sheet, the several operatingmeans for the tivo sets of bars being out of time With one another, themechanism being arranged to maintain glass in substantially one planeduring its movement along the bars.

6. Apparatus for making sheet glass, including means for substantiallycontinuously forming a glass sheet and supplying the same in ahorizontally extending direction,

plurality of bars extending in the direction of travel ot the sheet,means for reciprocating the bars, and means for moving them into and outof engagement with thel traveling sheet, certain ot said bars beout oftime With other of said bars, the mechanism being arranged to maintainthe glass in substantially one plane during its movement along the bars.

T. Apparatus tor making sheet glass, including means for generating aglass sheet, a plurality of bars lying in the direction ot travel et thesheet, means for reciprocating the bars whereby they travel lirst in thesame direction as the glass and then in the opposite direction, andmeans for moving the bars into and out of engagement With the glasssheet, certain of the bars being out ol time With other hars and thereciprocating means being adapted Jfor a Quick return motion of thebars.

8. Apparatus for making sheet glass, including means tor substantiallycontinuously generating a glass sheet, a plurality of bars extendingalong the direction of travel oi" the sheet, there being at least tvvobars near each edge portion of such sheet, means ier reciprocating thebars, means for moving the two edge bars alternately into and out otengagement with the glass sheet, said edge bars also being out of timewith one another in their reciprocatory movement, and edge clampingmeans cooperating with either ot the edge bars.

9, Apparatus for making sheet glass, including means for substantiallycontinuously generating a glass sheet, a bending roll adapted todei-lect the sheet into a horizontal ly extending direction, a.plurality ot bars extending along the direction of travel of the glassbut spaced from the bending roll, and means for moving the bars int-oengagement With the sheet, then moving With the sheet While such contactis maintained, then out of contact With the sheet, and then in adirection opposite to the travel of the glass sheet the movement of.some of said bars being out of time With the movement or other of saidbars the mechanism being arranged to maintain the glass in substantiallyone plane during its movement along the bars.

10. Apparatus for making sheet glass, including means for substantiallycontinuously generating a glass sheet, a bending roll adapted to deflectthe .sheet into a horizontally extending direction, a\plurality of barsextending along the direction of travel of the glass but -spaced fromthe bending' roll, means for moving the bars into engagement With thesheet, then moving With the sheet While such contact is maintain-ed,then out of contact With the sheet, and then in a direction opposite tothe travel of the glass sheet, the movement of `some of said bars beingout of time with the movement o'l other of said bars, and clamping meansfor a sheet edge.

1l. Apparatus for' making sheet glass, including means for substantiallycontinuously generating .a glass sheet, a bending roll adapted todeflect the sheet into a horizontally extending direction, a pluralityof bars extending along the direction of travel of the glass but -spacedfrom the bending roll, means for moving the bars into engagement withthe sheet, then moving with the she-et While. such contact ismaintained, then out of contact with the sheet, and then in a directionopposite to the travel of the glass sheet, the movement of some of saidbars being out of time With the movement of other of said bars, andclamping means for a sheet edge, said clamping means comprisingcontactors on the side of the sheet op posite the side which is engagedby the bars, said contactorsl being adapted to cooperate With at leasttWo bars which are out of time with one another.

12. Apparatus for making -sheet glass, including means for substantiallycontinuously generating a sheet of glass, a plurality the O'lass insubstantially one )lane daring C v Q.

its movement along the bars.

13. Apparatus for making sheet glass, including means for substantiallycontinuous ly generating a sheet otglass, a plurality of sets ot harsextending along the direction oi' travel of the sheet, means for`alternately lifting e ch set of hars` into the plane oftravell-of thesheet and dropping themtherebelow, and means for reciprocating the bars,the reciprocating means being ,adaptedy to canse travel ofthe bars whenin contact Withv the sheet at a rate corresponding to a demalte a returnstroke in .a shorter period of time.

M Apparatus for making sheet glass, including means for substantiallycontinuonsly generating a sheet of glass, a plurality of: sets ot harsextending along the direction of travel ot the sheet, means ioralternately lifting each set of bars into the ilane of travel oit thesheet and dropping them therebelow, means for reciprocating the bars,the reciprocating means being adapted tocanse ytravel of the hars whenin Contact with the sheet atV a rate corresponding to ay desired drawingspeed and being adapted to malte a returnstrokev inA a shorter period ottime, andf edge clamping means adapted to coop erate with a bar inseveral of the sets.

In testimony whereof' I haveherennto set my hand.

HENRY F. CLARK.

